Making punches and dies for embossing printing characters in metal plates



y 26, 1932- r H. L. THOMPSON 1,863,777

MAKING PUNCHES AND DIES FOR EMBOSSING PRINTING CHARACTERS IN METAL PLATES Filed May 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 26., 1932.

H. THOMPSON 1,363,777 MAKING PUNCHES AND DIES FOR EMBOSSING PRINTING CHARACTERS IN METAL PLATES Filed May 11, 1928 2 Shets-Sheet 2 y II] ifir M! Q Patented July 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERBERT L. THOMPSON, OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN'OR TO ADDRESSOGRAPH COM- PANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE MAKING PUNCHES AND DIES FOR EMBOSSING PRINTING- GHARAC'IERS IN METAL PLATES Application filed May 11,

This invention relates to a novel method and means for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates for use in addressing and other devices.

Printing plates having printing characters embossed thereon are largely used in addressing and other devices and the characters are embossed by means of punches and dies. These punches and dies are made of steel properly hardened and tempered and their manufacture in the past has been difficult and costly because it has been the practice to cut the punch and die to shape with some guidance and correction by cold swaging the partly formed character of the punch into a master die. The cutting and cold swaging method is not only difficult and costly but the result is not always satisfactory because of the character of the work and the extreme accuracy required and because the texture of the steel may be disturbed by the cold swaging, resulting in a lack of essential wean ing quality in the finished product.

The objects of my invention are to overcome these difiiculties, to avoid the cutting and cold swaging operations, to reduce the time required and lessen the cost of manufacture by providing a novel method and means whereby punches and dies may be made in proper size and shape and clearly defined formation by a swaging method which is easy to practice and uniform in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of simple construction for per forming the method of my invention and which can be easily operated to produce punches and dies at a relatively high rate of speed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a device which I have found satis factory for practicing my invention and referring thereto. I

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Figs. 2 and 3 are end elevations.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view partly broken away and in section.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the device on a smaller scale than shown in Fig. 2 and also showing a timing device in section.

Fig. 6 shows a wiring diagram.

1928. Serial No. 277,069.

swaging chamber in the body of the de vice and in alignment with the opening 8 and the character in the master 6. Electrodes 11, 11 project laterally through the body and into the chamber 10 to operatively engage the forward end of the blank 10. These elec-. trodes abut springs 11 in a secondary electric circuit 12 which is adapted to be closed through the blank for heating the end of the blank upon which the impression of the master is to be made. Arms 13 are pivoted at 14 on the body of the device and their free ends.

engaging electrodes 11, 11 are suitably insulated therefrom. Slide bars 15 are arranged in the body of the device in engagement with tapered slots 16 in the holder 9 and also in engagement with the arms 13. When the holder is forced forward, to the left in Fig. 4c, the slide bars will be projected outward to swing the arms away from the body and withdraw the electrodes from the blank.

The breech is provided with a pressure chamber 17 and a plunger 18 operating therein. This plunger projects through the open pivoted end of the breech and engages the head 19 of the holder which is provided with rods 20 bearing against springs 21 in chambers provided therefor in the body of the device. The springs retract the holder after the swaging operation has been completed and the breech has been swung to open position as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 4;. A latch 22 on the breech is arranged to engage a fixed pin 23 on the bed 24 which supports the body of the device to lock the breech in closed position. Air pressure from a suitable source is admitted through a hose 25 to a passage 26 in the head 27 which is fastened to and forms part of the breech 2. This passage communicates with the chamber 17 and closed position gage the plate 33 which closes the primary cirted to the chamber for operating the plunger,

and when the holder moves forward the elec; trodes are quickly withdrawn from the blank to prevent them from being deformed by contact with holder 9.

In Fig. 5 T have shown a simple form of electric switch and timing devices and referring thereto a lever is pivoted at on the bed of the machine and it has a weighted arm 31 adapted to engage the valve stem 29 and an arm 32 carrying an insulated contact plate 33. An arm 34 on the breech, preferably pro- ,jecting down from thevhan dle 35, carries two contacts 36, 37 in the primary electric circuit 12 and when the breech is thrown to these contacts 36 and 37 encuit through the transformer and causes current to flow in the secondary circuit 12 through the blank 10, the springs 11 holding the electrodes 11 in engagement with the blank. .4. spring pressed dog 38 is located in front of the arm 32 to hold the arm in set position, Fig. 5. A water receptacle 39 is supported in convenient relation to the device and it is provided with a supply of water and wi h a weight 40 therein. This weight has a large openin g 41 and a restricted opening 42 extending therethrough from top to bottom, the large opening being closed at the bottom by a suitable valve 43. The weight is connected by a cord 44 traveling over suitably disposed pulleys 45 to an arm 46 fastened to the switch arm 34 and when the breech is thrown to open position the weight 40 is raised to the top of the receptacle 39, the

valve 43 opening during this upward movement of the weight to permit the water to flow therethrough. A dog 47 is pivoted 1n the side of the receptacle to engage a recess 48 in the weight for holding the weight in up position. A lever 49 is pivoted on the bed of the device and is connected at one end with the dog 47 and has its other end arranged in the path of the switch arm 34.

When the switch arm is carried away from the lever 49 as the breech is opening a spring 50 swings this lever and the lever swings the dog 47 into position to engage the recess 48 in the Weight 40. lVhen the breech is swung to closed position the switch arm engages and swings the lever 49 and releases the dog 47 from the Weight, thereby permitting the weight to sink in the receptacle. This sinking movement is controlled by the size of the restricted opening 42. A. cord 51 is connecti at 34 and when the breech is opened this cord swings lever arm 32 to its initial position and spring pressed dog 38 swings up to hold arm 32 in this position, Fig. 5. On the same opening movement of the breech the dog 47 is reset and the weight 40 is raised to up position thus resetting the timing device for another operation.

Exhaust ports 53 are provided to release the'pressure from the chamber 17.

My invention provides a device of simple construction and automatic operation for practicing the method of making a punch or a die by first heating the end of the blank to a, desired temperature and then sW-aging the blank against a master die. The complete operation may be speedily performed because the blank can be quickly heated and the swaging step can be quickly performed. I have found that the work produced with my method and device is accurate and entirely satisfactory for the purpose. I prefer to charge the swinging chamber with carbon dioxide or some other inert gas to protect the heated metal parts from oxidation and scale. The blank is retracted immediately upon the opening of the breech and since the end portion only of the blank is heated it will cool very quickly after the swaging operation and opening of the breech and this tends to harden the character formed by the swaging operation. It is intended to heat the end of the blank very quickly to a forging temperature. Variations in the degree of heat can be made by changing the voltage carried by the electrodes and variations in the heating period can be accomplished by adjusting the timing devices accordingly.

It has been diflicult heretofore to position the character accurately upon its shank to obtain perfect-alignment between the punch and die. The method practiced has been to start with an oversize shank, form the character, and then by means of a hair line micro scope and measure screw, determine the area in location of the character in thousandths of an inch and then machine the shank accordingly. This in an expensive method, the results depend for accuracy upon the skill of the operator and they are not always uniform. My invention provides for absolute accuracy in positioning the character on the blank and the punch'and die are made in the device and by the method exactly'to size and shape. They are also hardened in the operation, but they may be subjected to a tempering operation if found desirable.

Changes in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of my improved device may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of the invention and I reserve the right to make all such changes as fall within the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a device for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combinat on of a body, a master die supported in said body, a holder for moving a blank into, and for supporting the blank in operative relation to the master die, two electrodes disposed in said body to engage opposite sides of the end of the blank to be swaged to heat said end, an electric circuit including said electrodes and adapted to be rendered operative when said holder moves said blank into said operative relat on, means for forcing said heated end against the master die with av swaging blow, and means for automatically withdrawing said electrodes from the blank prior to said swaging blow.

2. In a device for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combination of a body, a master die supported in said body, a holder for moving a blank into, and for supporting the blank in operative relation to the master die, two electrodes disposed in sa d body to engage opposite sides of the end of the blank to be swaged to heat said end, an electric circuit including said electrodes and adapted to be rendered operative when said holder moves said blank into said operative relat on, means for forcing said heated end against the master die with a swaging blow, and means operated by the holder for withdrawing said electrodes from the blank prior to said swaging blow.

3. In a device for makng punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combination of a body, a master die supported in said bodv, a holder for moving a blank into, and for supporting the blank in operative relation to the master die, two electrodes disposed in said body to engage opposite sides of the end of the blank to be swaged to heat said end, an electric circuit including said. electrodes and adapted to be rendered operative when said holder moves said blank into said operative relation, means for forcing said heated end against the master die with a swaging blow, levers connected to said electrodes, and means operated by the holder for causing said levers to withdraw the electrodes from the blank prior to said swaging blow.

4. In a device for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combination of a body, a

master die supported in said body, a holder for moving a blank into, and for supporting the blank in operative relation to the master die, two electrodes disposed in said body to engage opposite sides of the end of the blank to be swaged to heat said end, an electric circuit including said electrodes and adapted to be rendered operative when said holder moves said blank into said operative relation, means for forcing said heated end against the master die with a swaging blow, levers mounted on the body and connected to said electrodes, and bars slidably mounted in the body for operation by the holder to cause the levers to withdraw the electrodes from the blank prior to said swaging blow.

5. In a device for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combination of a body, a master die supported in said body, a holder for supporting a blank in operative relation to the master die, two electrodes slidably mounted in the body to engage the end of the blank to be swaged to heat the same prior to the swaging operation to be performed thereon, levers mounted on the body and connected to the electrodes, and bars slidably mounted in the body for operation by the holder during the swaging operation to cause the levers to withdraw the electrodes from the blank prior to engagement of said blank with said die.

6. In a device for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combination of a body, a master die supported in said body, a holder for moving a blank into, and for supporting the blank in operative relation to the master die, two electrodes disposed in said body to en.- gage opposite sides of the end of the blank to be swaged to heat said end, an electric circuit including said electrodes and adaptedto be rendered operative when said holder moves said blank into said operative relation, means for forcing said heated end against the master die with a swaging blow, and means for opening said circuit preliminary to the swaging action.

7. In a device for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combination of a body, a master die supported in said body, a holder formoving a blank into, and for supporting the blank in operative relation to the master die, two electrodes disposed in said body to engage opposite sides of the endof the blank to be swaged to heat said end, an electric circuit including said electrodes and adapted to be rendered operative when said holder moves said blank into said operative relation, means for forcing said heated end against the master die with a swaging blow, and means for automatically opening said circuit preliminary to the swaging action.

8 In a device for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combination of a body, a master die supported in said body, a holder for moving a blank into, and for supporting the blank in operative relation to the master die, two electrodes disposed in said body to engage opposite sides of the end of the blank to be swaged to heat said end, an electric circuit including said electrodes and adapted to be rendered operative when said holder moves said blank into said operative relation, means for forcing said heated end against the master die with a swaging blow, and timing means for automatically opening said circuit preliminary to the swaging action.

9. In a device for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combination of a body having a chamber therein, a master die supported by said body in said chamber, a holder for supporting a blank in said chamber and in operative relation to the master die, means extending into said chamber for heating an end of the blank to be swaged and including an electric circuit, pressure means for torcing said heated end against the master die with a swaging blow, and means for automatically closing the circuit of said heating means prior to said swaging blow.

10. In a device for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combination of a body having a chamber therein, a master die supported by said body in said chamber, a holder for supporting a blank in said chamber and in operative relation to the master die, means extended into said chamber for heating an end of the blank to be swaged, pressure means for forcing said heated end against the n1aster die with a swaging blow, and means for automatically operating said pressure means after said heating means has been operating for a predetermined time.

11. In a device for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combination of a body having a chamber therein, a master die supported by said body in said chamber, a holder for supporting ablank in said chamber and in operative relation to the master die, means extending into said chamber for heating an end of the blank to be swaged and including an electric circuit, pressure means for forcing said heated end against the master die with a swaging blow, and means for automatically and successively closing the circuit of said heating means and operating pressure means.

12. In a device for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combination of a body, a master die supported in said body, a holder for supporting a blank in operative relation to the master die, means for heating an end of the blank to be swaged, and means for op erating said holder to force said heated end against the master die with a swaging blow, and comprising a pressure chamber, a plunger operating in said chamber, and means for automatically admitting pressure in said chamber to cause the plunger to strike the holder.

13. In a device for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combination of a body, a master die supported in said body, a holder for supporting a blank in operative relation to the master die, means for heating an end of the blank to be swaged, a breech pivoted to the body, and means carried by the breech for operating said holder to force said heated end against the master die with a swaging blow. M. In a device for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combination of a body, a breech "voted to the body, a master die supported in the body, a holder slidably arranged in the body and supporting a blank to be swaged, means for heating an end of the blank to be swaged, a plunger in the breech. for striking the holder, and pressure means for operating the plunger.

In a devi e for making punches and ties for embossing printing characters on netal plates, the combination of a body, a ire-sch pivoted to the body, a master die suported in the body, a holder slidably arranged in the body and supporting a blank to be swaged, means for heating an end of the blank to be swaged, a plunger in the breech for striking the holder, pressure means for operating the plunger, and means automatically operated by swinging the breech for operating the heating means.

16. In a device for making punches and dies for embossing printing characters on metal plates, the combination of a body, a breech pivoted to the body, a master die sup ported in the body, a holder slidably arranged. in the body and supporting a blank to be swaged, means "for heating an endof the blank to be swaged, a plunger in the breech for striki the holder, pressure means for operating the plunger, and means automatically operated by swinging the breech for oppressure means.

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